Winter Hiking on Local Trails Provides Unique Glimpse Into 
the Past Published on 2/22/2007 

Walking along the boulder-strewn trails of Ledyard's Slosberg-Andersen Woodlands in 25- 
degree weather, the historical parallels are not immediately evident. Yet when accompanied by a 
knowledgeable guide, as were the hikers on Feb. 4, the story of these stones will take you back 
thousands of years. 
The Bill Library in Ledyard, in conjunction with the Avalonia Land Conservancy, runs a "Family 
Fitness Fun" program that takes participants on hikes through local trails and adds an educational 
spin on traditional hiking, as guides explore such topics as local wildlife, geology, local water 
supply and the Ice Age, among others. 
About 30 local residents gathered at the Slosberg-Andersen Woodlands and ventured off on a 
nearly three-hour hike through the woods, and into the neighboring Dow Centennial Preserve, an 
area collectively known as the Pine Swamp Wildlife Corridor. Anne Roberts-Pierson and other 
guides from the Avalonia Land Conservancy led the informative hike. 
Starting at the Hillside Drive trail-head of the Slosberg-Andersen Woodlands, the hike began with 
native giant rhododendrons towering overhead, branches on both sides arcing and meeting 
above to give the trail an almost cave-like kind of feel. As the trail descended down and past the 
"rhododendron labyrinth," the many rivulets that crawled in and out of the main swamp gave an 
almost magical feel to the hike. Partially frozen, the trickling waterways transformed logs, rocks 
and anything else in their path into glittering, surreal versions of their true forms as small wooden 
bridges made mostly of fallen trees allowed for safe crossing. Others areas, where the constant 
run of water would normally make for marshy ground, saw sheets of bluish gray ice covering the 
trail. 
Six-year-old Kobe Morey put the scene into perspective as he described the slippery trail. "I like 
going up and down and walking across the ice the best because it's sparkly and glittery and fun," 
he said. 
Yet as beautiful and peaceful as the hike had been thus far, the highlight was, without a doubt, 
the boulder moraine that not only challenged hikers' legs, but also their minds. As our guides 
explained, these boulders, which completely covered the hillside, were the direct result of the 
Earth's last Ice Age. 
Approximately 22,000 years ago, glaciers originating in southern Canada had swept across most 
of New England, covering Connecticut, and forming what is referred to as the Laurentide Ice 
Sheet. As the ice flows scraped their way across the already rocky land, they inevitably took on 
helpless passengers in the form of sand, gravel, sediment and larger stones and boulders. Yet as 
the Ice Age came to a close around 18,000 years ago, and global temperatures began to rise 
once again, and the stone-burdened glaciers deposited their freight where they stood, in this case 
creating an awe-inspiring sight. The smooth boulders, all ranging from around 5 to 15 feet across, 
and varying greatly in shape, seem to have been laid across the hillside as one would lay gravel 
down across a driveway. Huddled together and often overlapping, the boulders made for a fun 
challenge that all present certainly enjoyed. 
Local hiker Eric Reelitz frequents these sponsored hikes, and has seen the land preserves 
become more open to such participation. 
"The last one (hike) I was on through this area stopped back at that first running stream. They've 
extended the trail (a lot) since then," Reelitz said, adding that he plans to go on the next hike on 
March 10. 
The expansion of the trail through the boulder moraine made for an adventurous and exciting 
hike, as the freezing weather harkened back to the days when the stones had first been laid 
down. 
By Russ Morey 
Times Staff Writer 
For more information regarding upcoming hikes and other programs, contact the Bill library at 
(860) 464-9912.